The New York Yankees made a series of personnel moves today when the team announced a new three year contract for General Manager Brian Cashman. The new deal will keep Cashman with the team through the 2017 season as he turns 50 years old when the deal expires. The terms of the deal have not been announced yet but Cashman made $3 million a year on his last contract so you can expect some sort of raise with this new contract.
Also the Yankees announced the firing of hitting coach Kevin Long who had one season remaining on his contract. Long has been the Yankees hitting coach and self proclaimed hitting guru since the 2007 season and seems to be the scapegoat for the team's struggles in 2013 and this season. Mick Kelleher's contract was up at the end of the season after spending time as the Yankees first base coach and will not be offered a new contract. Kelleher was also the team's infield instructor and has been in this position since the 2009 season.
Change is on the horizon for the Yankees.
I can't help but wonder why Kelleher wasn't retained while Rob Thomson, whose made plenty of eyebrow raising decisions at third base will apparently return.
ReplyDeleteAs for Long, I'm not sure he should be the scapegoat for the Yankees' offensive woes. While the team hasn't hit well in the past two years, you could chalk that up to a lower talent level than previous years. But I'm not broken up about it.
And when it comes to Cashman I'm totally cool with his return. Nobody knows this team like Cash does. I just hope he doesn't try and throw money at free agents again this season.
We'll never get the whole story. Kelleher may have said he didn't want to come back. Makes you wonder why he signed a one year deal while the other coaches signed multi-year deals. I agree that Thomson should go though.
ReplyDeleteLong should share in the blame but not take all the blame, I also agree with you on that. It is the coaches job to get the best out of his talent he is working with and Long wasn't doing that. I went over a post this season where almost every Yankee had down seasons the last two years. Sure you can blame Beltran's down year on an injury but what about McCann and Ellsbury? You know?
If anything the Long firing can break the monotony and re-energize some. I'm sure Derek Jeter wasn't the only one who had problems with his approach and teachings.
I don't see Cashman throwing money around at all. He didn't want to talk to A-Rod about resigning after he opt-out of his contract...overruled! The contract Tex got was too long for him and he said so...over-ruled! Cashman told Jeter to go out a check what the going contract is for a 37/38 year old SS, then come back and we will talk...overruled!
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